James De La Vega
Encyclopedia
James De La Vega is an American visual artist of Puerto Rican
descent who lives in New York City
. He is best known for his street and muralist art, which has led to his occasional arrests, and for his innovative storefronts where he sells his paintings and merchandise. His socially conscious artwork forms part of the Nuyorican Movement
.
and later at Cornell University
, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1994. He is a former teacher. He is a member of La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda
fraternity. De La Vega continued his studies at the Sorbonne
and University of Oxford
. The artist lives in Soho and works in New York City
, Paris, Italy, and Tokyo. For five years, he had a store on St. Mark’s Place in the East Village
called the De La Vega Museum, and 3 other locations in Tokyo, Paris, and Italy. The Museum closed in 2010. De La Vega has now shifted to online sales at CafePress.
Zorro
is James De La Vega's kind of hero, especially since he shares his name with the masked swordsman, formally known as Don Diego de la Vega. Both of them—in their own ways—defend the poor and outcast from the rich and ruthless, donning disguises and leaving their marks.
When he is not painting, De La Vega travels across the country as a motivational speaker.
For much of the Occupy Wall Street protest in Zuccotti Park, De La Vega has spent his days spreading his sidewalk philosophies with flyers, signs, and stickers, giving contrasting hope in the midst of anger and resentment.
drawings he creates on public surfaces such as sidewalks. His murals can be found all over Spanish Harlem
, and his chalk drawings may show up anywhere in the city. His street drawings are usually accompanied by aphoristic messages such as "Become Your Dream." Legally, his outdoor work qualifies as graffiti
, although many put them in a separate genre. In 2004, Salon.com
called him "probably the most revered street artist in New York." The De La Vega was a recipient of a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant in 1999. Christie's auction house has sold his art for thousands of dollars, and many see him as an inspired cultural figure.
In 2011, De La Vega collaborated with Tory Burch to create a line of accessories that benefited the Tory Burch Foundation.
, who has served as a mentor of sorts to De La Vega. "I have quite a few people come up out of the blue and show their work. And his was outstanding. I allowed myself to become familiar with it, and the development was phenomenal."
De La Vega's artistic practices have generated controversies with the law. In July 2003, De La Vega was charged with vandalism for a mural he painted on a blank wall in the Bronx. He was offered one year’s probation in exchange for a guilty plea, but that would have required him to state that his intent was to “damage” property. He refused to say this. As a result, in June 2004, he faced trial for the offense, and a judge found him guilty. After apologizing to the building’s owner, De La Vega was sentenced to 50 hours of community service.
De La Vega has been portrayed in an episode of season 8 of the children's program Arthur
.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
descent who lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He is best known for his street and muralist art, which has led to his occasional arrests, and for his innovative storefronts where he sells his paintings and merchandise. His socially conscious artwork forms part of the Nuyorican Movement
Nuyorican Movement
The Nuyorican Movement is a cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as Nuyoricans...
.
Life
James De La Vega was born in East Harlem, the son of Jaime De La Vega and Elsie Matos, and studied at York Preparatory SchoolYork Preparatory School
York Preparatory School is an independent university-preparatory school in the Lincoln Center area of New York City.The coeducational school provides instruction to approximately 340 students between 6th and 12th grades...
and later at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1994. He is a former teacher. He is a member of La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda
Lambda Upsilon Lambda
La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity was established on February 19, 1982 in order to address the shortcomings of academic institutions in meeting and addressing the needs of Latino students in higher education...
fraternity. De La Vega continued his studies at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. The artist lives in Soho and works in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Paris, Italy, and Tokyo. For five years, he had a store on St. Mark’s Place in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
called the De La Vega Museum, and 3 other locations in Tokyo, Paris, and Italy. The Museum closed in 2010. De La Vega has now shifted to online sales at CafePress.
Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
is James De La Vega's kind of hero, especially since he shares his name with the masked swordsman, formally known as Don Diego de la Vega. Both of them—in their own ways—defend the poor and outcast from the rich and ruthless, donning disguises and leaving their marks.
When he is not painting, De La Vega travels across the country as a motivational speaker.
For much of the Occupy Wall Street protest in Zuccotti Park, De La Vega has spent his days spreading his sidewalk philosophies with flyers, signs, and stickers, giving contrasting hope in the midst of anger and resentment.
Art
James De La Vega is known primarily for his murals and the chalkChalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
drawings he creates on public surfaces such as sidewalks. His murals can be found all over Spanish Harlem
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
, and his chalk drawings may show up anywhere in the city. His street drawings are usually accompanied by aphoristic messages such as "Become Your Dream." Legally, his outdoor work qualifies as graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
, although many put them in a separate genre. In 2004, Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
called him "probably the most revered street artist in New York." The De La Vega was a recipient of a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant in 1999. Christie's auction house has sold his art for thousands of dollars, and many see him as an inspired cultural figure.
In 2011, De La Vega collaborated with Tory Burch to create a line of accessories that benefited the Tory Burch Foundation.
Reception of his work
"He's an outstanding artist," says LeRoy NeimanLeRoy Neiman
LeRoy Neiman is an American artist known for his brilliantly colored, pseudo-expressionist paintings and screen prints of athletes and sporting events.- Early years :...
, who has served as a mentor of sorts to De La Vega. "I have quite a few people come up out of the blue and show their work. And his was outstanding. I allowed myself to become familiar with it, and the development was phenomenal."
De La Vega's artistic practices have generated controversies with the law. In July 2003, De La Vega was charged with vandalism for a mural he painted on a blank wall in the Bronx. He was offered one year’s probation in exchange for a guilty plea, but that would have required him to state that his intent was to “damage” property. He refused to say this. As a result, in June 2004, he faced trial for the offense, and a judge found him guilty. After apologizing to the building’s owner, De La Vega was sentenced to 50 hours of community service.
De La Vega has been portrayed in an episode of season 8 of the children's program Arthur
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
.